Detroit-Style Pizza

Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough:

• 2 1/4 cups warm water
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Pizza Sauce:

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably with basil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Assembly:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 8 ounces sliced pepperoni
• Steps to Make It
• Make the Pizza Dough
• Gather the ingredients.
• Measure the warm water in a measuring cup. Add the salt, yeast, and sugar to the water. Allow it to sit for a minute to froth. 
• Add the olive oil and flour and knead in the bowl of a stand mixer with the bread hook attachment. You can also knead with a wooden spoon. Knead until the dough is smooth but still quite sticky. The dough will be very moist.
• Scrape down the sides and cover. Allow it to rise for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. If you rise for 24 hours do so under refrigeration.
• Make the Sauce and Assemble the Pizza
• While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce. 
• Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until completely combined. 
• Preheat your oven to 450 F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with the softened butter. 
• Scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the baking dish. Grease your fingers with olive oil and press the dough into the pan so that it reaches the edges and is of even thickness. 
• Coat the dough with a layer of sauce (about 3/4 cup). 
• Add the diced cheese onto the top of the sauce. Add the cheese all the way to the edges.
• Add the sliced pepperoni and a few more dollops of the sauce. You will not use all of the sauce. 
• Bake on the lowest rack of your oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is browned, the edges are brown and crispy, and the bottom is golden. 
• Carefully remove from the pan with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Allow the pizza to cool slightly and then cut it into squares. Serve immediately.